So most of you who know me or follow me on Social Media know that I love meditation and YOGA. Well oddly enough over the past year I have been back and forth with my yoga practice and not consistent like I should be and this has caused me to lose focus, sight towards my goals and towards life itself.

Some of you may be saying so not practicing YOGA made you lose all of that?

Yoga for me is not about just the physical practice but the mental and spiritual practice. Yoga is about taking your body through various poses, breathing through those poses, expanding yourself, growing, powering your way into new opportunities. Well that pretty much describes life too. Going through ups and downs but it is through that journey that we grow into new opportunities and into a new POWER that lies within us.

Physical Practice

I look at this through life itself. There will be times where life will seem and feel tough, physically draining and it will require you to use strength to battle your way through those tough times and you will want to quit, you will want to get out of that position, that pose, that time in your life. It will require inner strength and physical strength to get you through.

Mental and Spiritual Practice

So when I first heard of meditation I was like ummmm yeah I can’t sit here for this amount of time being still and not doing anything. I had to train myself to be still. I soon learn that as I was practicing meditation it was helping with not only to sit still for a certain amount of time but it was teaching me how to breathe through yoga poses, how to breathe through life situations. It help me learn that sometimes you simply have to just BE STILL and breathe through certain situations. The more I began to be still and simply breathe the easier the pose or the craziness of my life became.

31 Days of YOGA

So follow me on this journey of Starting my New Year OFF with Intentions…No I am not big on resolutions this is a journey to help begin my year off with Intentions, Clear Mind, Focus, Determination, Drive and Perseverance to tackle whatever may come my way in 2018….

What will my 31 days look like:

I have devoted to:

Practicing 3 days (minimum) at a Yoga One (with option of trying out a new yoga studio)

So it’s that time of year again where everyone begins to tackle that very thing that they keep or have struggled with in the past. They began to make their New Year Resolution….most common one being “to lose weight”. The gyms are preparing to be packed, the studios in preparation of classes being filled with individuals who have set out to make that New Year Resolution. And then it happens……30 days later, 60 days later, 90 days later the hopes of achieving that New Year Resolution begins to fade away. People get the feeling of lost hope, or they just quit. They start to doubt themselves and feel as if they have failed themselves. Why? because of the notion that if you don’t achieve that New Year Resolution you have lost the battle, lost the fight.

I say NO to the New Year Resolution and say YES to intentions. Intentions are things that you create to help better yourself as an individual, as a person.

What does that look like?

I set the intentions each and everyday to be a better version of myself. Do I relapse some days or have some bad days? Heck Yeah, but guess what? I start all over again the next day. Everyday is a new day to begin again. It is a new day to start over. When you set intentions on becoming better each day you are giving your self a cushion to fall to fail but yet also a chance to learn from the mistakes, the falls and mishaps. Socrates says it best, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old but on building the new. So stop trying to fight the old with New Year Resolutions but let’s set the intentions on building the new. How do you do this? by striving each and everyday to become a healthier you, better version of you.

So it’s that time of the year where everyone is planning of the new year. We are getting that planner out we are setting our fitness goals for next year. We already have a big scheme and ideas of what days we are going to work out, what days we are going to work on what, the challenges that we are going to participate in. We are pumped and ready to change for 2018.

So let me ask you a question….

What about now?

What are you waiting on?

Why do we have to prepare for the new year?

Who says that we have to wait until 2018 to start fresh, to start brand new. Why not start now? This is the question that I was even asking myself as it related to not only fitness but other areas of my life. I said to myself Felicia why do you have to wait until the new year to begin again. Each and everyday we wake up is a brand new opportunity to begin again. It is an opportunity to start over to create goals for ourselves. We are our biggest hindrance of our goals, we are what stops us from achieving our goals.

Why?

Because we feel as if we have to start at a certain time, we feel like our situation have to look a certain way. We are waiting on that perfect time, perfect opportunity to begin again, to start over. So what if your life is a mess right now, So what if you feel like you don’t have it all together. This is the perfect time to begin again, this is the perfect time to create a better version of you….So stop waiting on that miraculous new year…Today is your Day…Lace up…Show up for YOU..You deserve it…You deserve to be a better version of YOU…So I ask again What are you waiting for?

How many times have you missed an exit or a turn because your mind was somewhere else? Or how many times have you forgot where you were going because you were thinking so hard or in your thoughts? I had that moment today actually, I missed my turn twice because I was in my thoughts thinking of the “What if’s” the “if I could do things differently I would”. Did that change my situation? Did it make things better? Actually no. Then I realized, you know what, while I’m so in my head thinking of the “What if’s” then I missed out on the ” What is” that was happening.

So what am I saying?

Stop being so caught up in the “What if’s” the “I should have” and just LIVE. In fitness we can beat ourselves up so bad because of not meeting a goal or thinking; “Well what if I don’t get that goal or that PR time?” I have realized in my fitness journey the less time I spend focusing on the “What if’s” the more the “What is” began to show up in my life. The more the goals were met because I was focused on what I can do in the here and now, at this moment versus focus on the what I should have done or what I could do. So stop stunting your strength, get out of your HEAD. Start living in the Here and Now and watch how you achieve those goals.

So who cares if you took time off for the Thanksgiving holiday and you did absolutely nothing. Does that change anything about you…Heck No. Sometimes we need those small breaks in our lives. Sometimes we need those detours to get us relax and able to refocus. So don’t dwell or beat yourself up if you enjoyed yourself over the past Holiday. Today is a new day..Today is a brand new day to start over again. Today is your day…Your day to begin again…Stop dwelling on the what if’s and now let’s focus on the What is!!!!

Often times in our journey of life we feel like we need to be at a certain area in our lives before we can begin. I’m bad at this you see I was an perfectionist so before beginning anything I always felt the need that I had to be in a perfect place, perfect situation, perfect time in my life. What I’ve learn through my healthy journey is that it is not about being at a certain fitness level before beginning, it was about starting where I was. When I finally decided that then that’s when my hard, rough, challenging days were some of my best days. Its when I developed consistency, its, when I began to grow, when I began to soar from where I was that I began to blossomed, I began to truly see the fruits of my labor. So don’t wait till the perfect time; like Arthur Ashe states, “Start where you are today, Use what you have. Do what you can today.

It’s a great feeling when you have completed a goal that you thought you would never complete. So now you have completed it so what’s next. You feel like I have accomplished something big so why strive for anything else. Or you just simply get complacent and content in where you are right now. I say NO…don’t get complacent…don’t get content. You should always be striving to be a better version of YOU whether that is through fitness, finances, relationships, personally, spiritual. Never settle for what seems alright, shoot for the stars, challenge yourself, step out of your comfort zone, step outside of that box you have created. You will never know your full potential if you just settle for what seems okay, what seems best. So don’t wait until the New Year’s to draw up a plan of goals and action plans..Start today, Start now….Set the intention each and everyday to strive for more, strive for the best version of YOU. So stop settling and start moving..Moving into 2018 as the Best Version of YOU!!!

Often times we can be very consistent with the daily world of electronics. I have found myself often times as soon as my phone makes that “ding” noise I am constantly checking it to see what messages have gone through. Who text me? What are they talking about in the group messages? We become so consistent in the electronic world but are we consistent in our self care, self nurturing world. Are we consistent in our daily time with ourselves. Do we take time out during the day just to focus on ME, YOU? Do we take time to breathe, stretch and relax from the craziness of the world. This week take time for YOU, notice if you are spending so much time devoted to the social media craze. Notice if how much time you spend unplugged. Unplug yourself for at least 1 hour and spend that hour relaxing, exercising, meditating, stretching, simply loving on YOU.

It’s time to be consistent with our self care, self nurturing, self love for ourselves. Don’t until your New’s Year Resolution…Start today

So back from my hiatus I was inspired by a post that I wrote this time last year and as I was reading this post it really spoke to me. As I prepare one week from today to turn 37 my born day, my birthday. I really had to look back and look at all the things that I have endured at the age of 36. Then it dawned on me Felicia through it all you have grown, you have so much to be thankful for. It seemed like during this year I had more bad days than good days. But honestly it was through all those crazy days that I was able to truly define who I am, able to really see what God has in store, really able to see how my life is a testimony for others. See we often times think of this image of what a healthy life looks like but what we fail to realize healthy doesn’t just mean outward appearance but are you healthy from the inside out. So in celebration of my life I wanted to recap my past year so you can see that even while you are going through it may seem like there is no light at the end of the tunnel; it is there you just have to be patient.

Recap of Year 36

This is NOT OK

So on last year during this time of the year I was running my long run of 13 miles with my #runhomie and it just seemed like nothing that morning was going right. I had to stop several times to use the restroom, the gas station I normally stop at the employee was on break so I couldn’t use the restroom; so I had to proceed on with my run. If you have ever tried to run and you have to use the restroom then you know what I am talking about, not the best feeling ever. Then as I was running my heel begin to bother me; well at first I was like it just seems tight so I will keep running to see if it loosens up; well it did. Then I proceeded to run and it did just that it started to loosen up so I began to think okay well this is not going to be as bad as I thought.

Ummmm I was rudely awakened

I get about at the half way point of the run and of course we are out there so the only back is to just walk all the way back or run back. So I proceeded to run back.

Then it happened

I get back to my car and when I stopped I could feel it. It was not good, I was not okay.

So then I did what was the right thing to do, I went to the doctor and they told me I had a heel spur and also plantar fascitis.

I said to myself really not something else again, my exact words were, “Why can I not be GREAT?

So at this point I felt like there was so much going on in my life, from single motherhood to dealing with beginning stages of divorce, managing a job, two girls, one income, training and just LIFE.

I was forced to face reality, I was forced to say Fe you are not okay but guess what you will be okay.

So I began to start the healing process, began doing rehab and just trying to battle my way back. I knew I had other races lined up for the rest of the year and also the beginning of the year.

So I did what doctors ordered and when it was time I battled back. Well meanwhile during all this time of course life doesn’t just throw you one lemon but several lemons. So after completing all the races I was signed up for I finally said enough is enough Felicia it is time to really focus on you and get healthy. So I spent 6 months through physical therapy all while going through so many changes in my life….new job, selling my home, new home, divorce and just simply motherhood. I mean you name it everything that you can imagine someone going through I was going through it all. But one thing that I kept telling myself is that Felicia it will be okay. It is okay if it seems like your life is a mess right now. It doesn’t mean that you are going to always stay in that state.

See we all have this thing called pride that often times we have to face. We are ashamed of saying,

“You know what I am struggling today.”

“You know what I am having an OFF day today”

or

“You know what I am not OK at this moment”

What makes us stronger is the ability to recognize that and know that we will not be in that state very long.

To know that there is HOPE

To know that everything will be OK

To know that it is okay to have those days

To know that it is those days that help build us, help make us stronger

So what did I learn?

I learn that it is okay to not be OK.

It is okay to have an OFF day.

It is okay to say I am having an OFF day.

It is okay to say I am struggling right now.

What else did I learn?

It is when we face that everything is not OK that is when we BUILD when we get STRONGER and that is when we begin to have HOPE that even though at this very moment in time it may not be okay but I know that everything will be okay.

So here is to this craziness called Life, to lessons learn, to overcoming battles. Despite how things may seem or just seems like you can’t catch a break. It’s okay to not be okay the key is to not stay in that place. Dust yourself off and keep moving forward.

So here is to 37 BABY… Why such a big meaning? 3 defines divine protection/guidance and 7 is completeness (both physically and spiritually) That is what Beyounique is all about is developing: STRONG MIND + STRONG SPIRIT= STRONG BODY (Completeness)

So I often speak about this but in our fitness journey we are often taunted with our past or with the notion of what we can not do. However, we never really take the time to embrace the moment that we are in, the accomplishments we have made thus far. We are our biggest critics and we often put so much pressure on ourselves that instead of it encouraging ourselves we provide discouragement.

As I glance at this photo that was taken this last year I begin to really be amazed at the sky and how beautiful it is. I also begin to really focus on the water and how peaceful it seems. I said to myself, “Wow this is simply beautiful”; just caught in the present moment of it’s beauty. So I really begin to equate this to our lives and thought to myself if I would just take a moment each day before I get started with my day and really embrace ME, LOVE ME and really begin to give compliments to myself. Do you know how motivating, invigorating and encouraging that would feel? Do you think I would have a positive outlook on what I have to do for that day? Of course I would, what people often fail to realize is that this healthy journey and lifestyle is not all about just how many workouts can you do; this journey is about mentally how do you feel about yourself. Do you tear yourself down each and everyday? Do you love yourself for who you are on THIS day?

So take time out each day and really sit back and Embrace the Present YOU! Be grateful, thankful and Love the NEW YOU.

Love the changes your body is going through even if it is not where it needs to be.

Love who you have become both inner and outer.

Love the fact that you cared so much about your health and your body that you chose to change your life.

Love the downfalls that you have gone through as it has only made you stronger.

So I ask you to really LOVE YOURSELF UNCONDITIONALLY but in order to do that you must first Embrace the Present YOU!

So it’s that time of year where we are trying to eat healthy and let’s be honest….we all have to fight those holiday cravings. We set goals to eat healthier or to simply lose weight. We dice into the many healthy challenges or diets that promises that we will lose the weight. However, we don’t tap into the main source of the problem, the key to why we are where we are at or why we even want to lose weight.

Be Mindful

When we set goals to lose weight or be healthy we have to ask ourselves why are we wanting to lose weight or be healthy.? What is the reasoning behind it? Is it because we want to be healthy or is it because we want to look a certain way? Next question is, “How did we get in the position we are currently in?” Was it because of stress or was it because we are dealing with something that is deep inside that we don’t want to face? These are all mindful questions we must first ask ourselves before we can begin this journey of healthy eating and healthy lifestyle. Until we tackle these questions then we will still see ourselves cycling through the treacherous cycle of weight loss and unhealthy lifestyle.

Mindful Cravings

What do we battle with the most when we are trying lose weight or eat healthier? We battle with cravings, with the feeling of not having enough. But is that truly the reason why we are having cravings? There is more to that craving and learning how to be mindful to the cravings is the key. Here is a tip the next time you have a craving, stop and think about why you are having that craving. Are you stress? Are you bored? Are you really hungry? The more we become mindful of our cravings the more we can fight them.

So as everyone is preparing for the holidays and some are already thinking about what their 2018 New Year’s resolutions and goals are going to be. First, be mindful of why you are doing what you are doing. Step into this holiday season and preparing for the upcoming year with mindfulness of your goals and why you want to achieve them. The more we become mindful the more we are able to achieve the goals we set forth.